Mustangs’ Tyler Matthews (4) looks for a place to go early in the second half against Prattville. Photo: Art Parker

By ART PARKER

It was the special teams (kicking game) that made the big difference in the Stanhope Elmore (SEHS) victory over Jeff Davis in week five of the football season. There was a complete form reversal in week six for the Mustangs as Prattville cruised to a 35-0 victory in the battle of I-65.

The special teams made four serious miscues (almost five) beginning with the Lions 89 yard return of a Mustangs punt at 6:16 in the first quarter. The "almost" miscue came after Prattville had taken a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. The Lions executed a pop up kickoff that is neither a deep kick or a traditional onsides kick. The kick dropped on the field and, for the most part, the Mustangs watched the ball bounced around as Prattville swarmed in to try and recover the ball. Fortunately, SEHS covered the loose pigskin and avoided another disaster before the half. But, just before half time, the Mustangs threw away another chance to score when the Lions blocked a 38 yard field goal attempt by Angel Vasquez. In the second half the almost miscue of the first half became a reality as the Mustangs let the Lions recover one of the pop up kicks. And finally, the Mustangs fumbled a Lions kickoff in the fourth quarter turning the ball over to Prattville.

If the five kicking game mistakes were not enough then throw in the turnovers on downs deep in Lions territory committed by the Mustangs offense. In the first quarter the Mustangs were denied by the Lions on fourth and short from the 15 yard. Then, the Mustangs were denied again on fourth down and short on the Lions 8 yard line. In the third quarter the Lions halted a Mustangs drive on fourth down at the 26 yard line.

The only other mistakes the Mustangs could have made were in the penalty department, but the Millbrook bunch did not receive a flag in the first half. Frustration obviously hit the Mustangs during the fourth quarter as they began to receive penalties frequently, several of which were for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Despite all of the undesirable things that hit the Mustangs the effort was not without good points. The Mustangs moved the ball at times fairly well under the direction of Bishop Frazier, who started for SEHS while Jaryus Wilson is out with an injury. Until the fourth quarter the Mustangs defense only surrendered one touchdown as Prattville's 14-0 lead had not increased since the 9 minute mark in the second quarter.

"Missed opportunities. That's what it is all about. We had our chances and we just didn't get it done. I really feel that if we could have scored once, before the fourth quarter, we could have won the game. It just didn't happen," Mustangs head coach Jeff Foshee said.

Stanhope Elmore now goes to 3-3 for the season and 1-3 in the region, which makes the Mustangs playoff hopes slim. It will be homecoming on October 11 and the Mustangs will host Thompson High School in a region contest.

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